Blue Belt Technologies, Inc. Announces Formation of Hip Scientific Advisory Board for Development of Next NavioPFS Application for Femoroacetabular Impingement

PITTSBURGH, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Belt Technologies, Inc., an innovative medical technology company commercializing robotic solutions for orthopedic surgery and other applications where precision bone preparation is required, today announced the creation of a Scientific Advisory Board focused on femoroacetabular impingement ("FAI") led by Dr. Robert Buly, Dr. Struan Coleman and Professor David Murray, MD. This advisory board will provide key clinical insight into the company's efforts to develop and commercialize robotic-assisted technology for surgically treating FAI in the hip.

Dr. Buly, Associate Attending Orthopedic Surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, NY, has a practice focused on joint-preserving surgeries for both hip and knee. He is part of the Center for Hip Preservation at HSS and as a founding member of the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy (ISHA) has pioneered novel techniques to treat hip impingement arthroscopically. Dr. Buly is invited to lecture around the world to teach other surgeons about his techniques. Dr. Buly is also an Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and has his MS in Physiology from Penn State University.

Dr. Coleman, Associate Attending Orthopedic Surgeon at HSS, specializes in sports medicine where he treats orthopedic conditions of the shoulder, hip and knee. Dr. Coleman holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from Oxford University in England and combines a clinical practice in sports medicine with basic science research in the injury and repair of musculoskeletal tissues. Dr. Coleman is also an Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and is Head Team Physician for the New York Mets.

Professor Murray is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Oxford and a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford. He specializes in hip and knee surgery and has an international reputation for clinical research and development work in this field; his teams undertake biomechanical and clinical studies related to the hip and knee.

"I can't wait to start working with the Blue Belt Team in developing an enabling robotic solution for FAI surgery. We are already off to a fast start as the Blue Belt technology is far ahead of any other solution," said Dr. Buly. "I believe that Navio technology for FAI will accelerate utilization of an arthroscopic approach for treating FAI. The flexibility of a handheld robotic solution is what makes this opportunity so significant; it allows me to utilize advanced robotic technology through my normal arthroscopic approach for controlled bone resection."

"Having worked closely with these world class surgeons for some time, we are delighted to formally announce the formation of this Board for our FAI application," said Eric B. Timko, President and CEO of Blue Belt Technologies. "Our team at Blue Belt looks forward to working closely with Dr. Buly, Dr. Murray and Dr. Coleman in bringing our proprietary robotic technology to FAI, one of the fastest growing procedures in orthopedic surgery."

FAI is a sports-medicine related pathology where the femoral head, acetabulum, or both do not fit normally in place due to an alteration in the shape of the femoral head or rim of the acetabulum. The result is increased friction during hip movements that may damage the hip joint. It is estimated that 50% of total hip replacement patients are candidates for FAI treatment instead of having the joint replaced.

Current procedures aimed at treating FAI involve free-hand bone shaving in an arthroscopic approach, or an open surgical approach. Both of these approaches are subject to inaccurate bone preparation, low-visibility in the arthroscopic procedure, invasiveness in the open procedure, and limited preoperative planning abilities. Enabling technologies currently in development are missing the execution phase of the FAI procedure. Blue Belt can apply their patented precision freehand sculpting technology to enable precise and repeatable results.

Blue Belt Technologies, Inc.

Blue Belt Technologies, Inc. is developing the next generation of "smart" surgical instruments for use initially in orthopedic procedures and then for other surgical specialties including neurosurgery, spinal and otolaryngology ("ENT"). The company's NavioPFS System incorporates patented technology to provide precise robotic control to surgeons via an intelligent, handheld, computer assisted bone cutting tool. The NavioPFS System provides the surgeon with a layer of safety and enhanced accuracy while performing bone shaping tasks through minimally invasive incisions.